Kim: It was a great event, with more than 200 people coming together and sharing news and insights on customs topics. We had this year also our own booth at the fair to present and talk also about Gerlach and our services and solutions.

Alexander: Yes, but we also have to admit that compared to the last Tulldagen in 2019 there were less visitors due to the Covid restrictions. But it was anyway great to meet in person and network.

What were the main topics discussed at the fair?

Alexander: The topic of digitalization of customs was very much in the foreground. We gained some insights on what upcoming customs projects the customs authorities are planning. Also, the HS Codes updates that apply from January 2022 were presented and discussed.

Kim: Another topic was related to Trade Compliance and on “Combiterms” – why it is so important to have the buyer and seller roles and responsibilities in mind.

What are your two main take aways for Gerlach Sweden?

Kim: Firstly, I think we had quite intense and good dialogue and exchange which was of high value for us.

Alexander: True! And secondly, I would add, that it again highlighted the importance of having our digital projects and ambitions as high priority as we want to shape the future with best solution for our customers.

Based on our daily interaction and experience with companies that are about to integrate a Chinese supplier to their portfolio or trade with Chinese companies, we can help you with insights and learnings. Let us share three major ones with you:

1. Involve Customs consultancy at an early stage

A lot of times we experience that customers forget to integrate the costs attached to Customs in their business plan. Thus, best is to involve a Customs consultant like us at very early stage in your business plan development and execution.

If you import goods from China to Sweden, you must submit an import declaration to Swedish Customs Authority Tullverket. Customs duties and other taxes will be charged. Classification and proper commodity code is needed. The customs value is normally based on the price paid to the supplier when they sold the goods to the EU, the cost of transport to the EU border, and the cost of any transport insurance.

2. Be aware of newest regulations

Some Customs related regulations might be impacting your business, but you are not aware of them.

Just a recent example on trade with China: From 1 January 2021 the existing VAT exemption for goods up to 22 € will disappear. In order to allow VAT to be levied, all imports into the EU will have to be declared at the border using an electronic customs declaration.

3. Focus on your core business

As Customs declaration is mandatory in case of importing from China to Sweden and you might not be the expert in that field, it makes more sense for you to focus on your core business and involve the experts in that field – best before you start even considering importing – gain with our Customs consultant the full transparency on your costs. And once decision is made, we can take care of the customs declarations itself.

Consultancy and Trainings are parts of our business. We lecture in Sweden at the Customs High School and are also parts on Forwarding educations. A strength of our business is that we exist and declare in all industries and different companies’ specific handling.

We implement each customer with a personal customs specialist / contact, where the customer feels safe and secure that we take control of the customer’s shipments and ensure that they are declared smoothly without any complications or delays.

Get in touch with your Customs experts in Sweden:
Telefon: +46 709 345 566
E-Mail: info.se@gerlach-customs.com

The tax on plastic carrier bags also affects imports from third countries, such as Norway. It will already be levied at the time of import if the importer is not an Approved Stockholder – i.e. the tax will be paid each time a plastic carrier bag is imported. Being an Approved Stockholder means that the importer must periodically report the tax directly to the tax authorities in a periodic declaration.

According to the Swedish Tax Agency’s definition, a plastic carrier bag is a bag with or without a handle that is made of plastic. It is intended for consumers to pack goods in or carry home and is not intended for long-term use.

Exceptions make tax confusing

This means, for example, that paper bags with plastic handles or with a plastic film that allows the packaged product to be seen must also be taxed. The level for „free import” (import without tax) is 40 plastic bags per occasion.

Tax rate:
3 SEK/piece
30 øre/piece for plastic carriers with a capacity of not more than seven litres and a wall thickness of less than 15 microns (e.g. fruit and vegetable bags)

The tax is not levied on consumer packaging that is not intended for the packaging or transport of goods.

Examples:

• Dog bags
• Garbage bags
• Waste bag
• small freezer bags
• Carrier bags, for example made of paper, where plastic is only an additive of glue or paint used in the production process.

“Gerlach Customs can help you save time and money”

Gerlach Customs sees several advantages for companies that apply to the Swedish Tax Agency for an “Approved Stockholder” permit. One example is that as an Approved Stockholder you pay no tax when the plastic carriers are delivered to a buyer in another EU country.

If you would like help in applying for an “Approved Stockholder” permit or have any other customs questions, please contact us quickly and easily via the contact form.

In Sweden as neighboring country of Norway, we observe as a major trend a strong e-commerce boom. With the highest share of online buyers in Scandinavia – 78% of Norwegians shop online. Norway, is a very import-friendly nation and an important partner to Sweden. Most imports come from Sweden.  

However, as Norway is not part of the European Union, customs clearance at the border is required. We at Gerlach can support our customers to handle the customs procedures smoothly and to benefit from the e-commerce boom, e.g. just to name a few through Bonded Warehouse solutions, supporting customers to get registered as a NUF (Norwegian Foreign Company) with own tax registration, authorizations for deferred payments etc.  

Another trend we observe is that most customers want a digital solution when it comes to submitting information. That is where we see the future and where we focus our strategic initiatives on.  

Are there any new regulatory events – customs related – happening in your environment that customers should know about?  

From the first of May this year the customs authorizations in Sweden do no longer allow representatives to use EIDR. Unless you are a specific group representative with direct access to the electronically book keepings of the declarant. It is the direct access from the HoA (Holder of Authorization) that is the crux of the matter. Since then all customs declarations have to be submitted and accepted by customs before release of goods (applies to all customs procedures).

"A new set up based on WCO data requirements will also be introduced for the first time..."

Later this year (or in the switch of 2019/2020) there will also be a change regarding TS (Temporary Storage). New procedure with requirements for TSD (Temporary Storage Declaration). A new set up based on WCO data requirements will also be introduced for the first time, setting up this new model of data element messages built in different levels.  

For the customers this could mean that shipments more often will be stuck or delayed. Comparing with the previous Swedish model, the future will offer a more harmonized model (with the EU), but not as smooth as we were used to do it before the implementation of UCC. 

What makes you very proud of your team right now?

Our special strength is our knowledge in customs. And this is essential for me as it enables us to support and advise our customers on all special and complex customs related topics. I always support and engage my team to further develop their knowledge through trainings, but also through participation in customs related forums and working groups.

And I am also very proud of the European network that we have at Gerlach – we can help customers on local level with detailed customs knowledge in their country, and at the same time help them with their expansion in other countries.